Kenobi
by Dolores Storey
Summary: Araben Kenobi is a skip and a beat away from running away from her caregiver, Kali when she accidently runs into the famed Jedi, Jaina Solo and her younger cousin Ben Skywalker. Assuming that these Jedi are going to make her go back home she's slapped in the face with information about not only her family, but the Force. It's every orphan's dream to know about their family, rather
1. Running Away

A/N: What do you get when you mix listening to too much of the same album and thinking way too much about Star Wars? You got it, another fanfiction idea. I know for a fact that the "real" characters in this story are probably not going to be portrayed perfectly (although, I've never been that good at it) but I hope you enjoy it anyways. I have a few weeks off college and I thought I'd celebrate with more-than-a-page fanfic. Hope you enjoy and may the Force be with you! (No constructive criticism, this fic is meant just for fun and to get the creative juices flowing. This is an AU fanfic and is only meant to be a work of a nerdy teen with way too much time on her hands. I can write better than this but when I want to have fun, this is as good as it's getting. I hope you enjoy anyways ~Emily)

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Chapter One: Running Away.

"Araben, where do you think you're going?" Araben Kenobi scoffed and threw a knapsack over her shoulder. "Out."

"Out? You're going _out_?" growled Kali, an old Twi'lek-Human that spent the last thirty-six years taking care of young orphans on the tiny planet of Isla-9. She was a caretaker, but she wasn't exactly the most kind of "carers". At least she gave a damn where her younglings went… even if what they were doing wasn't exactly "legal".

One of her younglings hated the fact that she had to be looked after and that child was Araben. She had been an orphan since she was an hour old. Sure, she could take care of herself since the moment she could walk but that meant nothing to Kali. Araben was like a block of Old Republic gold to the Galactic Empire… or trash, depending on the point of view.

"Yeah Kali, _out_! Now leave me alone!" Araben grabbed an old Clone trooper helmet and stuffed it over her head before leaving the house. Isla wasn't the best of planets that was for sure. It was the land of thieves, trouble and outlaws and Araben fit right in.

She adjusted the old trooper helmet on her head, one that she had spray-painted over and over a few hundred times. While most kids spent their adolescence coloring their hair every other week, Araben thought the idea just made them stand out. On a planet like Isla, that just couldn't be. However, a neon helmet? That would work! So, since Araben was ten years old she'd spend hours using her small allowance to buy old cans of paint to color this old helmet any color she could dream of. It made her stand out, that was for sure, but in a pinch she could throw the helmet off and look like a regular bystander. No teenaged brat could do that with their own hair, that was for sure.

Araben buried herself in the crowd, scoping out the horizon for anything interesting. She was a thief, plain and simple but today was different, today she wasn't looking for food or spray paint, she was looking for a ship. She was eighteen now, she wasn't going to deal with Kali's overprotective tendencies anymore! She didn't know why Kali put Araben above everyone else but she _did _know that she was tired of it! So today, she was running away.

As she made her way through the busy streets she'd sneak a piece of fruit here and there, usually before the shop keeper could even tell something was missing.

However the further she made her way out of town the worse she began to feel. Something wasn't right, it wasn't right at all…

"Araben! Hey!"

She stopped in her tracks as an old Human called her out. "Hey, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Asked Ez as he wobbled out of his shop, "Kali taking you shopping?" _Krif, _thought Araben, swallowing hard in nervousness. She needed an excuse and _fast._

"Oh, no, Ms. Kali isn't here today, I came to buy some paint you see, just some paint." She coughed out, hoping that her anxiety couldn't be seen through her mask. Fortunately it could not and the half-metal old man bought it. "Oh really? Well, I think you'll like this, gimme a second." Ez grumbled behind a thick grey beard as he made his way back inside.

"Uh, listen Ez, I gotta go-"

"Here it is!" Ez rushed as best as he could with an old bottle of spray paint in a worn metal hand. With a cheeky smile he handed it to her, almost dancing in his place. "I thought you might like this! Sixty years old! All the way from the depths of Coruscant itself, probably used by one of those Jedi or something." _Jedi wouldn't use spray paint, _She wanted to say but she just nodded, taking the gift and after a moment of goodbyes, left.

She made her way back into the crowd, hiding the can into her sack and did her best to look over the heads of Wookies and Humans alike. Finally, in the distance she saw what she had been looking for. A tiny SG1- freighter sat under a meter of muck in Isla's dim rays. The owners of it were probably just a bunch of dumb-ass farmers from Tattooine. No one would even know Araben was there and best part? She'd be able to hitch a ride to any planet but Isla.

She boarded the ship through a tiny removable plate usually used for more "secretive" cargo – and by secretive that meant drugs. Occasionally it was just guns but usually just the most-wanted of drugs.

However, something wasn't right here to Araben… there wasn't any drugs _or _guns in this packed-full cargo hold. They were just empty crates…

_Krif, they're so innocent they can't even carry some guns to the nearest planet. Probably a bunch of wrinkly old Twi'lek's like Kali. I almost feel bad… almost._

She hid between the wall and a group of boxes before laying another neatly over her head, making a tiny little cocoon that was just big enough for her to sit with her knees up. Now, she had to wait for the ship to take off…


	2. Skywalkers and Solos

A/N: I felt one chapter alone didn't feel right being posted all by itself, consider it an early Christmas present. Happy holidays and may the Force be with you ~ Emily Storey

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Chapter Two: Skywalkers and Solos

"It's not my fault Nia decided to take way to long finding the supplies, quit your wining we'll be leaving within the hour – wait." Jaina stopped dead in her tracks and looked over at her cousin, Ben. He raised a brow, totally confused before the Force slapped him upside the head with a warning. He had counted fifteen Force sensitives on this ship, the only problem? They had left Yavin 4 with fourteen…

"You think someone snuck on the ship?" Jaina whispered as the two continued forwards, the Force guiding them to their inevitable destination.

"Oh look, it's the cargo bay you sneak into to make out with-"

"You shut your mouth Ben!"

Araben would have clamped a hand over her mouth if a mask didn't cover it. Someone was coming! Frell, she couldn't run this time. She let out a heavy breath and maneuvered herself as quietly as possible to access her knapsack. Within its leather folds she took out a metal device. No longer than a foot this little device was snatched off a dead Human when Araben was barely ten years old. It was a lightsaber, built of steel and brass with a blade of the most beautiful amethyst. She didn't make it herself, but it didn't make it any less of her own.

She clasped the hilt as tight as possible and sat up to reveal herself, assuming that one way or another she was going to have to get off this damn planet and if that meant taking people hostage she was prepared to do so. However, the moment her hand touched the box above her head, the metal crate was picked up, bright light from the ceiling came pouring in like a leaking roof on a rainy night.

"Huh." Jaina said, almost impressed as her cousin lifted the box, "Congrats Ben, it's a girl." Araben jumped from her hiding place, saber still in hand. As she armed herself, powering on the ancient weapon a strike of anxiety flooded her veins… the same anxiety she felt all day. _Kriff, get a hold of your self._

"Hands up!" Araben called out, pointing the cross blade at the two of them, "I don't want to kill you but I will if I have to!" Ben and Jaina exchanged an almost humorous look between them before doing as the girl said. "Alright, alright, what do you want?" Ben asked in a false surrender. Araben was impressed over how quick she had just taken control of the situation.

"Get me off this planet. Anywhere but here, understand?" She declared. Jaina nodded. "Fine," she said, "We don't want any trouble, we were already on our way to Yavin 4 now, is that ok with you?" Araben agreed.

"Good, then we have a deal. We mean no harm," Jaina continued, "My name is Jaina Solo, this is my cousin Ben Skywalker, could we at least know your name?" Araben damn near dropped her blade right then and there. _Solo and Skywalker? _She thought, _Oh Kriff, what did I just get myself into? These are __**Jedi**__!_

"Araben." She sighed, her voice the only surrender needed. She disarmed her lightsaber and hooked it onto her loaded belt before pulling off her helmet, "Araben Kenobi – listen I don't want any trouble." Gods, they were going to make her go back home, weren't they? Back to Kali and she didn't even want to think of the consequences…

However, while poor Araben was almost ready to get on her hands and knees to beg the Jedi not to let her go back home Jaina and Ben were nearly speechless. Kenobi? Like, Obi Wan Kenobi? The famed Jedi? Sure, Obi Wan had a brother who probably had children of his own but that didn't mean the Jedi Knights had ever seen another man or woman by the name. Luke needed to hear about this, about a Kenobi child, not to mention a Force sensitive with a lightsaber!

_She looks like him… _Ben thought, remembering the multiple images of the Jedi Master. She shared Obi Wan's shocking blue eyes and mucky blonde hair, sloppily cut just above her shoulders to frame her face; besides the two long locks of hair that was messily braided and pinned behind her ears. Give her a beard and another five inches and this kid could have easily been mistaken as Qui Gon Jinn's young Padawan learner.

"Trouble? Weren't you just saying-" Araben stopped Jaina in her tracks, "Damn it, yes I did!" she cursed, "but that's not the point! Just take me to the planet, don't me go back home!" _Anything but home…_

"Home?" Asked Ben, "Are you running away or something?"

"No!" Araben scoffed, sounding more childish than ever, "I'm eighteen years old, I'm not running away, I'm simply moving out!"

"…Right, and where are your parents?"

"Dead!"

"Your caregiver?"

"Probably cussing out one of the younglings!"

"What's her name?"

"Kali! Wait – why does that matter?" Araben waved the unlit saber hilt at Ben, "You're supposed to be doing what I tell you to do, not the other way around!"

"Right, of course, but listen," Jaina barged in, "We aren't going to take a youngling anywhere if someone will be looking for her. Just because you have a lightsaber doesn't mean you have control of this ship," she nudged a saber of her own at her hip, "Let's talk about this, ok? Why do you want to leave home?"

"None of your damn business!"

Jaina was getting nowhere with this conversation. She sighed, looking over at Ben, "Maybe we should just wipe her memory or knock her out."

"_Excuse me?_"

Jaina held a finger up to Araben, silencing her in a heartbeat; apparently she wasn't invited into this conversation…

"Your Dad is going to want to hear about this, you know," Jaina scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Ben agreed, "Yeah, but what if she's still a kid, her caregiver isn't going to take so kindly to – wait," he finally looking over at Araben, "Did you say Kali? Kali O'na?" Araben nodded.

"Wait a second, Jaina, I know her!" Ben exclaimed, "Don't you remember her, old women, Twi'lek/Human, she used to take care of Force sensitives since the Galactic Empire still stood."

"Wait, how do you know Kali?" Araben demanded, tired of being the third wheel. "Like I just said, she took care of younglings, hid them from the Empire, she's a friend of my father's."

Araben was more confused than ever. Sure, Kali never liked the Empire but hiding kids from troopers? That didn't sound like her, besides, Kali was never the friendly type. The only friend that old hag was a collection of curse words from three-dozen languages and a bottle of rum. "Wait, who is your father?" She asked at last.

"Jedi Master Luke Skywalker." Ben replied as if the name was as basic as a peasant's. Araben on the other hand felt like she could pass out. _I think I'd rather go back home than be with the kid of kriffing Luke Skywalker and… Mara Jade. Oh Gods, this is not good!_

"I say we should take her back home Ben," Jaina said at last, "She could be useful, say kid, what do you know about the Kenobi family?" Another wild topic change. _Great. _

"What the dar'yaim? Why do you think I know anything about my parents?" Araben scoffed, "Listen they died a few seconds after I was born, long enough to give me a krif name and vanish into the heavens or the Force or whatever the dar'yaim you believe in."

The cousins looked at each other again. "She has no idea…" Ben muttered, almost devastated. And in that moment the two of them made up their minds…

"We'll take you to Yavin," Jaina said, "But only on one condition." Araben paused, never being the biggest fan of bargaining. "What?" she growled.

"We've got to teach you about where you belong in this galaxy." Jaina looked to the crate Araben was just hiding beneath and using nothing more than an outstretched arm she lifted it with every midiclorian in her veins, "It's a shame, you know, it's a disappointment. It'll take us sixteen hours to get back home, we'll drop you off on any planet you wish _but _if you stay all sixteen hours I'll tell you everything about you, your caregiver, that lightsaber in your hand and," she dropped the crate in front of Araben, "the Force. Deal?"

Araben never wanted to admit it, but much like any other orphan, she had always wanted a place to belong… perhaps that's the real reason she planed on running away in the first place… to find a place to call home. So, she agreed.


End file.
